I expect there are a lot of new eyes on my website due to the amount of people now buying poultry.​To introduce myself, I am Janine Zschech, the sole owner/occupant of Adelaide Chicken Sitting Service.

I am a Poultry Pet Sitter and Poultry Educator

I do NOT sell poultryI am NOT a breederBut I can help you source what you are looking for.

I do NOT buy or take UNWANTED poultryI do NOT RESCUE poultryPlease search my blog for rehoming advice. This may change from time to time. The basics remain the same.

I do NOT kennel any birds or poultryI come to your backyard to care for the pets on your property for their health, safety and comfort.I practice strong biosecurity to keep birds healthy (not to bring in disease or pests).I pet sit within a half hour drive of Sheidow Park (SA 5158). Costs double outside of my zone.

I am NOT a vetI do give sound advice for free via email, text, comments on posts and by phone.I will direct you to a vet when I can identify that your poultry need more help than a home remedy.I have a farming background, so my advice is based in sound working knowledge.

I do NOT sell any productsI can help you locate the right product that you need and the general cost and directions on how to use the product.

I do NOT have any incubators for loanI can help you source incubators (ahead of time!) as well as setting up a brooder for hatched chicks.

I will NOT help you source poultry for slaughter, cock fighting or ritualsI support backyard chicken keepers who want to keep chickens for their company and fresh eggs.I also support those who need to help find a location for dispatch from their own flock.

I do NOT do any advertising on my websiteI do give product reviews here on my blog which will contain positive and negative feedback, as well as how to use a product or service.

Rooster or Drake rehoming can be one of the most difficult things a poultry owner can do. Council laws dictate that roosters should not be kept in suburban and some town districts due to noise level.

And its not easy because...every single rooster owner who calls/emails me want their boys to go to "a good home where they will not be eaten."

​"By about 5 or 6 months of age, your boy will have found the volume control on his voice, frequently trying out level 11!"​

SANCTUARIESThere is no one place to send your cockerels/roosters and drakes away to. I'm sorry.The RSPCA does not like to receive any roosters.

When I DO hear of a sanctuary that OCCASIONALLY takes a couple, and I pass the information on, they soon become inundated with unwanted roosters. And they have a right to be angry - as I offer ideas in strictest confidence - BUT the word always gets out.

Why does it make sanctuaries angry to have so many roosters dumped on them?

The sound of 20+ roosters is a lot to live with

Roosters in their sexual prime ATTACK

Most people do not visit a sanctuary to find a rooster

Roosters will seek out the sanctuary hens and mate with them to make a even heavier burden on feed costs for extra new birds to feed.

They also wish that people who hatch would learn to take responsibility for their choice to hatch - always assume 50/50 in gender hatch rate. You need your plan in place BEFORE starting a hatching program.

How do you find these places?

Even though a sanctuary you know of may not be taking any more roosters, ask if they know of any other sanctuaries you could call.

Facebook groups are also incredibly valuable. Post a question in a local poultry group page - someone always seems to come forward with an offer. BE PREPARED TO DRIVE.

WARNING: You will receive calls from those interested in roosters/drakes for consumption. Gumtree listings are most likely to result in that kind of caller. I recommend not to ask if you want a quick sale.

PHYSICAL SALESWatch for poultry sales, especially at the beginning of the year when poultry clubs hold their annual sales day. Public are welcome to sell their birds on the day for a cage fee.

NO-SHOW BUYERSIt is a common occurrence for rooster buyers NOT to turn up. And it is heart breaking!Ensure that your buyer is genuine and get contact phone numbers - mobile and landline. Always get two.

HATCHING STAGE PREPARATIONIf you are planning on regular hatching from fertilised eggs, then source a buyer ahead of time, if possible.

On a personal note:The buyer I choose eats my unwanted birds and dispatches them humanely. My best sources come from those with strong European and Mediterranean backgrounds.

My husband and I ask questions ahead of time to ensure that our boys will not be used for cock fighting or as religious offerings. We care about our birds welfare. We distance ourselves from the boys a day or two before pick-up is due to be able to cope with them going. Pick-up is made after sunset so that the boys can easily be caught for transportation.

FINAL OPTIONNo sale? No buyer?Dispatch.

If you are not confident to carry out the dispatch, Kapowie outside of Kapunda are able to offer this service.Ph: (08) 8566 2379

​I receive this question a lot right throughout the year. Here is the honest answer:

​Sellers come and go.​People's opinions easily skittle someone's credibility as a breeder especially if they didn't get the hatch rate they wanted.​Seek out breed specific Facebook pages (or go on a friend's recommendation) and build up a relationship with the good breeders.​It does pay off.

I receive many calls from people wanting to know to buy and sell their poultry, and one method I often mention is putting Facebook groups to good use.

So I have compiled my list of Facebook Poultry Groups that I recommend - especially for South Australian residents.

My list is not exhaustive, just a great way to get started. Here are a few ways to help you search a little further:

#1 HINT: Search for specific breed groups and poultry clubs to help widen your buy/sell options.#2 HINT: Search for local groups, in close proximity to your location.#3 HINT: Search on specialty interests such as swap, dispatch, fertile eggs, rooster sales, etc.#4 HINT: Once in a group, investigate what other groups are recommended by the group users. Best resource!Joining a Facebook Group

To use a Facebook Group to Buy or Sell you will need a Facebook account.

Apply to join a group. This will be located as a button on the header. A moderator will approve your inclusion.

Make sure that you read all the terms and conditions so that you do not violate your membership agreement.

Some groups have a Sales Post tab through which you can place a listing.

The Oct/Nov 2013 edition of Australasian Poultry magazine is out now in all good newsagents across Australia.

If you are serious about keeping poultry, learning about different breeds, health issues and how to get them show ready, this is a magazine you shouldn't miss! Look in the gardening or animal section of your local newsagent. If they don't stock it, ask for it to be ordered in.

Every publication includes the Poultry Classifieds, Breeders Listings, Club Directory and a huge lot of businesses with hardware stock specifically for poultry keepers nationwide.

If I declared myself to be that I would have an endless stream of visitors at my suburban door just like the RSPCA knows all too well.

It is so sad to see pets dumped (or accidentally lost due to their great break-out skills). They are usually let free in a semi-public space such as on school grounds hoping that the school might have pity and a little extra room or have parents ready to gush with excitement over having a new free pet or two, or three, or more. But that is not the case.

Dumping can be accurately identified by the fact that when animals or chickens roam they leave a manure trail or scratch path (especially under a fence). When there is an absence around the a property that they were dumped onto, you can bet it was a dumping. Inspecting all fence lines is essential. Check backyards and neighbouring properties that boarder the area for signs of pet housing or potential break-outs. Dumping is usually well chosen and done in the late afternoon/evening.

Animals of any type, and most especially poultry can bring in diseases to existing flocks.

When a pet rescue happens, the animals are not always adequately housed immediately which means a very high chance of cross-contamination. Ultimately, pet dumping could result in a caring pet owner with their own animals becoming sick.

People would rather see the pets reunited with their owners than be claimed as a 'new free pet' that no-one was banking on. Dumped pets can often have underlying medical conditions that the owner/s may or may not have been aware of which means heartbreak for any new adoptive family.

Pet dumping in South Australia is illegal and a prosecutable offence.

If your pets are not reclaimed they can be destroyed.

To the dear owners who feel the need to dump their unwanted pets . . . Do you really want that to happen? It is very unlikely that you want them to die or you would not dump them in the first place.

There are options for getting rid of your unwanted pets, but in most cases it will not a pleasant one.

It is their manure that contains the most dangers of bring disease or infection into another backyard. So when buying or selling animals or birds, please ensure that they are vaccinated, wormed and being brought into clean housing.

So I implore you as a pet owner, please make a wise decision about pet ownership.

Do not enter into it lightly and have your plans ready about what you will do when you can no longer look after them...BEFORE YOU BUY.

I receive a call almost once a week from chicken owners wanting to know where they can sell their unwanted hens and roosters. Unfortunately there is no farm or chicken shelter/sanctuary where they can retire to here in South Australia.

This doesn't mean that there aren't people who are more than willing to take these chickens from time to time. Its just that they are so far and few between that they really are gold when you find them. Its all about networking.

I have been in that same fix with a previous flock of Isa Brown and fluffy white Bantam hens who were no longer laying. Seven non-laying chickens with various health problems due to being rescued from a neighbour's property was a lot to sustain with no eggs in return.

I have managed to change my flock breeds over time as I have learnt which breeds suit me the best. But there is one common issue with all of the enquiries I have received...all of the enquires are about Isa Brown chickens. There is a theme going on here...

The Isa Brown breed I will explain in a lot more detail another day because there are so many issues with bringing this common backyard chook into our suburban backyards. If we are not prepared to eat our chickens then we do need to be prepared to sell them or give them away. Isa Browns are not ideal for cooking as they are quite lacking in any meat. Not the type that would ever make it the table as a roast (much to many people's relief).

STOPPED LAYING?

If your chickens are daily laying (egg only) hens such as the Isa Browns and have dropped off laying in the cooler months of the year, this is normal and should not be interpreted as a hen who has ceased to lay. Come the warmer months they go back to their normal routine.

Egg production in daily egg layers (e.g. Isa Browns) usually have a 2-2½ year laying period. They rarely lay after 2½ years.

You can encourage your chickens to lay a little more by offering small amounts of Meal Worms and Live Culture Yoghurt twice a week.

If your chicken is under 2 years of age and has ceased to lay then I strongly recommend that your local vet to check out their health as there may be other issues at play such as being Egg Bound.

Do not expose your hens to a rooster in hope of using them as breeding hens in their retirement years.Firstly, the rooster will not help to encourage any more laying, and secondly, if eggs are fertilized the shell walls are far more brittle and porous which can result in a high chick mortality rate (no hatching).

TOP SELLING TIPS

Try to sell them when they still lay but have dropped off significantly in their regularity.

Do not sell sick or diseased hens.

Make sure worming and dusting for lice, mites and flees are up-to-date.

Roosters are often a 'give away'.

Don't sell them during their moulting period. Presentation is important at point of sale.

Poultry & Livestock Auctions.These are the best option! These auctions occur once a month in many of the country towns. Contact local district councils for their dates and how to register your flock for sale. People who buy from these auctions are usually aware that the hens may nearing the end of their egg laying life and may just want them for their companionship and garden bug control.

Do not sell old hens on the Gumtree website (if you get upset easily).This is a good site for new hens but not for the older ones. Many of my clients have received rude calls from their ad on Gumtree and have since pulled their adds. If you resolve to do it, Gumtree is still a good place to list chickens.

Network and sell through online Australian Poultry forums.This is where your buyers are. Someone will know someone who may be willing to take your hens.

Network through family and friends.You may have already tried this, but often they are the most likely to take them especially if they are located in a semi-rural community or have a larger than average house block.

Other sources may include Agricultural colleges, Veterinarian schools and the RSPCA as a last resort.

DO NOT DUMP UNWANTED CHICKENS ON SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTENS, PLEASE.

Make sure your hens are in the best of health before moving them on.

​They should have:

Clean, smooth legs - no leg mites

Bright wattle and comb

Comb not flopped over (unless Meditteranian breed specific)

Bright eyes

No swellings of the abdomen beneath the vent

No lice or mites

No sneezing or discharge

Clean bottom

Not recently sick or on antibiotics

Bright disposition - not hunch or unwilling to scratch and peck around

No blood in their droppings

If your hens display any of these signs, they are unwell and should not be sold/given away at this point in time. Resolve their health issues before moving them from your property for good biosecurity.

WHAT TO DO IN THE FUTURE

I don't want anyone to give up on their desire to own chickens. There is nothing more satisfying that own hens who give back to us in three ways: eggs, manure, bug control and friendship.

Choose the right breed for you.Will you eat them? Opt for an egg/meat breeds.Will you use them for breeding? Do this around one year of age.Are you willing to keep them for the long term and accept that one day they will die?

How many do you need/want? Have more hens who lay less often. In turn they have a longer life.

Get to know a really good Vet who deals with chickens - and use them at least once a year.Not all vets will treat chickens. Mobile vets tend to be the best by far. They can also see the conditions that your flock are living in to make a far better health assessment.

Buy your poultry from a good breeder, rather than a fodder & stock store.Find breeders in your area of Australia via the BackYardPoultry Noticeboard.A 'good' breeder will take back any bad stock or accidental roosters.These breeders have the other poultry breeds that the fodder & stock stores don't stock.

PREPARING FOR NEW CHICKENS

If you are selling all or only part of your flock you still have a matter of house keeping, or coop keeping.

Before welcoming any new poultry onto your property you will need to give the coop a thorough clean-out to prevent any contamination from the previous flock. Lice, mites an fleas are the top nastiest. Worms in old chicken manure can also be a risk. It comes under the header of Bio-Security. There can be all sorts of diseases left behind.

Remember to isolate your new flock from any existing flock for the first fortnight. This is to ensure that your new hens are disease free and that you hens have a softer introduction to one another for the new pecking order.

Author

You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl. As an ex-Barossa gal now living in suburban Adelaide, South Australia, Janine Zschech is not only a serious chicken lady but a genuine advocate for self-sufficiency and education of children to the knowledge of gardening and animal rearing. Skills for life!